Introduction to Mass Media

Created for GUST students enrolled in MCM 103 Introduction to Mass Media with Dr. John P. Hayes. This blog includes updates, assignments, guidelines, checklists and other helpful information provided by Dr. Hayes exclusively for his students.

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

You have a one-time opportunity to make up online quizzes . . . if you did not complete one or more of the quizzes posted online, you may do so no later than noon Saturday 28 May.

Here are the requirements:

Follow the directions posted online for any quiz (or quizzes) that you want to make up.

All entries must be emailed and arrive no later than noon Kuwait time on 28 May.

Email format must be exact as explained in the posting.

Word documents only will be accepted and graded.

Spelling, grammar and punctuation all count as part of the grade.

Because you did not do the work when it was originally due, your grade will be reduced by one full letter, i.e. if the quiz would have scored an A had it been delivered on time, you will receive a B, etc.

The EEK Quiz does not count as part of the final grade so there's no need to complete it.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Projects account for 15% of your grade. This is the final project of the semester. It's due no later than Saturday 28 May 2011. You may not collaborate with (work with) another student to complete this project. You may not copy another student's work. If I suspect your assignment was copied, or if it includes the same information submitted by one or more other students, all students involved will earn a zero for the assignment. Do your own work, and work alone.

Write an essay of at least 250 words and no more than 500 words.

Title the essay: The 10 Most Important Things I Learned About Media

List the 10 most important points/lessons you learned about media this semester

Tell me why each point is "most important"

Tell me why you will or will not pursue a career in media

Tell me how you will use any form of media to improve your qualifications

Check your Basic English . . . the Grading Rubric is in full force!

Meet the deadlineSubmit your Word file to me (use only this address) via email. The deadline is 12 noon Saturday 28 May 2011. Name your Word file in this format only: PROJ_(YourFirstName)_(Your4DigitGUST-ID).doc.

Each article discusses societal issues in other countries . . . and all three have one unfortunate element in common: violence.

I selected these articles because they present opportunities for you to come to conclusions about violence in society. Some people have said that Americans are violent people, as depicted by movies and television . . . but these articles demonstrate that violence isn't only an issue in America.

2.In the Comments section below this blog post, you can post your own Comments about at least one of the above articles. Answer one of the following questions and type your comments in the Comment section.

Within a society there are schisms (divisions) of people who are violent . . . thus the article about Neo-Nazis. Could Neo-Nazis, or a similar "hate" group, exist in Kuwait?

Media have recently included many stories about the persecution of Christians in the Muslim world. What's up with that? Should Christians be on guard? What's the source of this violence?

What should be done in the Congo to protect women from rape? Are you alarmed by the statistics? What does this tell you about the Congo?

3. Finally, post Comments about at least two of the Comments posted by your colleagues. In other words, read the Comments posted by other students and then respond to at least two of their Comments, offering your opinion about what they said.

Monday, May 9, 2011

After you're finished reading and understanding the information, answer these questions:

How much American media do you consume? (In other words, how much American TV do you watch, and how many American publications do you read, etc.?)

How, if at all, have your opinions about Americans been formed by the American media you consume? (If you don't consume American media, then which media, if any, have helped form your opinions about Americans?).

What are your opinions about Americans? I am looking for complete answers and not one word answers, i.e. "Nice."

Why have you arrived at these opinions?

Write in complete thoughts. It's okay to include bullet points. Do your own work! Check your English usage.

Open a Word file. Save it in this format: Am_YourFirstName_Your4DigitGUST_ID.doc. Email the document to me before the deadline.

DEADLINE
This assignment must be emailed to this address no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday 11 May. Note: I will not accept the assignment after 5 p.m. (doesn't matter what your reason is) and I will not grade an assignment that isn't in a Word document and saved in the format that I require above.

About Me

I began teaching in 1973 at Kent State University in Ohio; in 1976 I was appointed Head of the Magazine Writing Sequence at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. In the mid-1980s, I left academia and built an international marketing and public relations firm. My areas of expertise include non-fiction writing, marketing, management development, customer service, training, and strategic planning. I have developed numerous seminars including How To Capture & Keep Customers and the Strategic Planning Workshop. I’ve been a featured speaker and trainer at franchise events since 1979. I served on corporate boards including the then publicly-traded Dwyer Group (1991-2003), one of the world’s largest service franchisors, and HomeVestors of America, a major real estate franchisor. In 2004, I was appointed President & COO of HomeVestors; from 2005 until 2009 I served as HomeVestors’ President/CEO and Chairman of the Board, and was instrumental in selling the business in mid-2008. In 2010, I joined Gulf University for Science & Technology with a dual appointment in the College of Business and the Department of Mass Communications.